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Scores of RMT rail engineering staff working for Wabtec at the Doncaster rail works will strike for five days next week in a fight over pay and conditions.

Following a massive “yes” vote for action the union’s Executive Committee has instructed members to strike from 00.01 hours on Monday December 15 and 23.59 hours on Friday December 19.

“RMT members at Wabtec do essential work and at the very least they should expect is a pay rise that reflects their commitment to the company.

" After all, it is the staff that generate the company profits for this large American engineering outfit.
“The Doncaster engineering works is part of the history and fabric of the railways in Britain and the engineers working on the site play a crucial role in keeping our trains rolling.

"Their massive vote for action in this fight for workplace justice is a reflection of the anger on the shop floor.

“RMT remains available for talks and we are in no doubt that the determination of our members will remain rock solid as they battle for a fair deal.”

The rail union - the RMT - says there's a risk of another rail tragedy - after a six inch gap was found in the track on the East Coast Mainline near Selby.

The crack - says the union - is bigger than the one which caused the Hatfield rail crash in 2000 - when a train from London to Leeds derailed. The RMT claims government pressure on Network Rail and staffing cuts are to blame. But the company says no one's safety was put at risk. David Hirst reports.